Baroque and Desperate (Den of Antiquity)

Book Description

In a Treasure-Laden Mansion

Unflappable and resourceful, Abigail Timberlake, antique dealer and owner of Charlotte, North Carolina's Den of Antiquity, relies on her knowledge and savvy to authenitcate the facts from the fakes when it comes to either curios or people. Her expertise makes Abby invaluable to exceptionally handsome Tradd Maxwell Burton, wealthy scion of the renowned Latham family. He needs her to determine the most priceless item in the Latham mansion and then split the proceeds of it with her. A treasure hunt in an antique-filled manor? All Abby can say is "let the games begin."

It's Tough to Keep Help

Accompanied by her best girlfriend, C.J., Abby arrives at the estate and is met with cool reserve, if no downright rudeness, from the members of the Latham clan. Trying to carry out Tradd's request, Abby finds that she could cut the household tension with a knife. But someone has beaten her to it by stabbing a maid to death with an ancient kris. Suddenly all eyes are on C.J., whose fingerprints happen to be all over the murder weapon. it's up to Abby to use her knack for detecting forgeries to expose the fake alibi of the genuine killer.

Customer Reviews:

Flora the Floozy Found Fricasseed.......2005-06-12

I have become quite fond of the books in this series and was especially fond of this one if for no other reason than the setting. Although Abigail Timberlake, the heroine of the series, resides in Charlotte North Carolina, this story is set in the lovely town of Georgetown South Carolina. Just last week my family and I visited this charming little town and the author's description of places that I had just been to may have colored my opinion a little, but I really liked this book.

The problems that exist in the previous books in this series are still evident here but after a while one gets used to them. Abigail is still overly abrasive and despite her best efforts the mystery is only solved when the killer makes an out of the blue confession. There are also far too many descriptions of Abigail's friend CJ that form some variation of "she is a few bricks short of a load." About one more of those little sayings and I think that I would have screamed.

The whole story begins when Abby returns home from a cruise and finds that burglars have literally cleaned out her antique shop. The had even taken the phone jack and swept the floor, leaving nothing but some markings on a wall in which Abby's mother sees an angel. At the height of her despair, a man she had met on the plane ride back to Charlotte shows up and asks her to spend the weekend helping him with a scavenger hunt at his grandmother's plantation just outside of Georgetown. Since her daughter Susan had forgot to mail the premium check to the insurance company causing the cancellation of her policy, Abby had nothing to loose and accepted the invitation which had been extended to cover her friend CJ.

Arriving at the plantain, they found a family that could be the poster children for dysfunctional families. They were for the most part, just sitting around waiting for the family matriarch to die so that they could get their hands on her money. On top of that, most of the males in the family were sleeping with the maid who turns up murdered. For some reason that Abby can't fathom, CJ confesses to the crime and is taken to jail even though the Sheriff knows that she didn't really do it. It is CJ's arrest that puts Abby on the trail of the killer and as usual she bumbles and stumbles along until the killer for no good reason confesses. As in the previous books in this series, Abby gets herself into grave danger but unlike the other times she escapes her attacker in this book by using her wits. In the previous books it was mostly just pure dumb luck that saved her.

This book is not quite as laugh out loud funny as some of the previous installments in the series but Abby's mother is still a hoot as she sets up a Shrine in Abby's empty shop. CJ and her stories about her family are also hilarious, especially the one about her cousin that makes dentures from pig's teeth. The writing is warm and conversational and best of all, all of the clues are there for the reader to figure out the mystery before the ever-looming confession rolls around. In short, this is a nice warm fuzzy book that is a pleasure to read despite the shallow nature of the mystery itself. Reading these books is a worthwhile endeavor if for no other reason than to find out what Abby's mother does next.

An OK Story.......2004-01-10

As long as you don't get into a Tamar Myers book expecting great literature, and as long as you can ignore glaring editorial mistakes and misses, you can enjoy reading one of her mysteries. I like the Abigail Timberlake series a bit more than Magdalena Yoder because Abigail is a little less abrasive, and I find there's not as much background repetition in these books like there is in the Penn-Dutch series. This book is a fun read as we see Abby coming home from a holiday to an empty shop (she was robbed while she was out of the country). So in order to regroup she and her wonderful friend CJ go to a manor house for a weekend of parlour games. They come across a truly disfunctional family, and while there the maid is found dead in her bed. This sends Abby on a quest to find a killer, since CJ has been arrested for the murder. The best part of this book is CJ herself. She's a wonderful character. The worst part is the ending. It seems hurried and doesn't make a lot of sense. But Abby unmasks the killer, and saves CJ so all's well that ends well.

Middle of the road........2003-12-12

Tamar Myers, Baroque and Desperate (Avon, 1999)

I've been an ambivalent fan of Tamar Myers for a while now. I'm never quite sure what I'm going to get with one of her books. I've finished Baroque and Desperate, the fourth Den of Antiquity mystery, and it's done nothing to change my perceptions either way.

The book opens with fearless detective and antique shop owner Abigail Timberlake getting back into town after a vacation to find that the Den of Antiquity has been robbed. Well, robbed may not be the word for it; the shop is as clean as a whistle. Everything, including the cash register, the wastebaskets, and even the shelving is gone. Just as she's starting to wonder what's going to happen in her life, a guy sitting next to her on the plane home shows up at the store with a proposition. His grandmother, a very rich, very eccentric woman, has hidden an antique worth at least a hundred thousand dollars somewhere on her estate. He needs a professional eye to help him. Desperate for a quick buck to save the business, she agrees. (Don't worry, folks, the intrepid sidekick, not to mention Dmitri the cat, come along for the ride.)

If you've read a Tamar Myers mystery before, you know what to expect. The wit is fresh, the puns are awful, the mystery is fun (albeit capped, always, with the annoying "ah, and here's how I did it!" section). She does go a bit overboard here with her descriptions of C.J.'s insanity (there must be at least four dozen variations on "one king short of a full deck" here, and it gets annoying after a while), but everything else seems to be clicking on all cylinders.

So Baroque and Desperate ends up getting the same lukewarm recommend as most of Tamar Myers' catalogue. I keep waiting for the book that will push me one way or the other; looks like I'm going to continue waiting. ***

Stylish, but lacking.......2003-04-28

There were many elements I enjoyed about this novel; the main one: the language. Author Tamar Myers has a wonderful sense of wordplay and wit that makes many passages a joy to read. However, in my opinion, this element detracts from the rather flimsy plot: returning home from a vacation, protagnist Abigail Timberlake finds her business -- the Den of Antiquity antique store -- burgled, and her finances in shambles. Depressed, she accepts an offer from Tradd Latham, part of an old Southern family with loads of money, not to mention the requisite odd relations, to join him for a possibly profitable adventure. The plot concerns a contest, in which participants have to find a specific antique hidden by the family matriarch. What's found first, however, is a dead body: the sluttish maid. Abigail's dim friend, CJ, confesses to the murder, and that sends Abigail, Tradd, and a host of other colorful characters looking for the real murderer. The resolution of the plot is standard, with the wit overshadowing everything (favorite witty moment: Tradd's number of children sprinkled throughout the community, referred to as 'Traddpoles'). Entertaining, but not for the hardcore mystery fan.

'Desperate' is Delightful.......2002-06-26

Another page-turner by Ms. Myers, who has taken the top slot as my favorite author this past year. Abby takes part in a "find the missing antique" game weekend, given at a wealthy woman's mansion. Someone ends up dead, and poor "C.J." - an ongoing character who is at times hilarious - confesses. Abby meets a new boyfriend, quite different from the drop-dead gorgeous types she always seems to get - a character I hope remains in the series in whatever capacity is his fictional fate. It's starting to get just a little bit unbelievable that Abby keeps getting these fabulous looking guys one right after another. This deviation from her usual path makes it a little more down to earth. I have to say I don't like Abby as much as I do the heroine of Ms. Myers' "Pennsylvania Dutch" mysteries, Magdalena Yoder. She is a little on the nasty side more times than I care for. She gets sympathy for her husband having left her and taken everything from her. Maybe that's why Ms. Myers makes her a little tough. In any event, this book does not disappoint. It's worth every penny.

Desperate Measures: The Life and Music of Antonia Padoani Bembo

Average customer rating:

Desperate Measures: The Life and Music of Antonia Padoani Bembo
Claire Fontijn
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Women | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0195135385

Book Description

One of the most fascinating figures of seventeenth-century music, composer and singer Antonia Padoani Bembo (c.1640 - c.1720) was active in both Venice and Paris. Her work provides a unique cross-cultural window into the rich musical cultures of these cities, yet owing to her clandestine existence in France, for almost three centuries Bembo's life was shrouded in mystery. In this first-ever biography, Clare Fontijn unveils the enthralling and surprising story of a remarkable woman who moved in the musical, literary, and artistic circles of these European cultural centers.

Average customer rating:

Baroque and Desperate
Tamar Myers
Manufacturer: Avon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0739401688

Baroque and Desperate: A Den of Antiquity Mystery

Average customer rating:

Baroque and Desperate: A Den of Antiquity Mystery
Tamar Myer
Manufacturer: Twilight
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

Amazon.com

There are lots of reasons to buy Speaking with the Angel, an anthology of first-person narratives by bright, young, mostly British literati: these are smart and original stories, none of them previously published elsewhere. What's more, it's for a good cause. Nick Hornby, editor of the collection and author of one of the pieces, has an autistic son, and in a raw and wrenching introduction he stresses the importance of educational institutions to serve such children, who "have no language, and no particular compulsion to acquire it, who are born without the need to explore the world." Accordingly, a portion of each sale benefits autism charities around the world.

Still, this is a collection that stands on its own merits, and requires no act of charity to purchase. In Roddy Doyle's "The Slave," for example, a 42-year-old family man discovers a dead rat on his kitchen floor, and this unwelcome incursion from the natural world plunges him into a midlife crisis. In "Last Requests," Giles Smith introduces us to a prison cook who specializes in, well, last suppers. It's both hilarious and shocking to encounter this egomaniacal chef on the job:

They can have what they like, within reason, up to a maximum of three courses, with coffee or tea and a piece of confectionary or a biscuit if they want it. No alcohol, for obvious reasons. Obviously, you'll get the jokers, like the one who said he wanted a whole roast pig with an apple in its mouth. Or the governor's head, one of them said he wanted.

Elsewhere, in Hornby's own "NippleJesus," a skinhead bouncer becomes a museum guard and falls for the painting he's charged to protect, a crucifixion collage made up of thousands of tiny breasts cut out of porn magazines. The stories in Speaking with the Angel all feel up to the minute, abounding with references to politics and popular culture. Yet the obscenity and slang ultimately amount to a form of bluster, an acknowledgement of the intrinsic fragility that all 12 of these narrators share. --Victoria Jenkins

Book Description

Speaking with the Angel:

12 completely new stories, narrated by 12 completely fabulous characters, written by 12 of the most celebrated voices in fiction today. Bestselling author Nick Hornby has brought together a star-studded group of writers to create this one-of-a-kind collection of first-person narratives.

From the imaginations of Dave Eggers, Zadie Smith, Irvine Welsh, Helen Fielding, Roddy Doyle, Melissa Bank, and others, including Nick Hornby himself, have sprung eleven enthralling, unforgettable talking heads. Clever, outragious, witty, edgy, tender, wicked....This is what is meant by "original."

Customer Reviews:

A nice collection of short stories.......2007-07-03

Quite frankly, I liked some stories and didn't quite enjoy some of the others, but I still think this is a book worth reading, especially because the purpose for its creation is aimed to help autistic children. I was very touched by Nick Hornby's introduction. A must-buy.

Cool stories by hip writers.......2004-05-12

I think Nick Hornby is the coolest writer in the World today. This compilation was a way for me to find out other writers who are as cool as Nick. I wasn't disappointed. Here is my review of the short stories:

PMQ: Wonderful comedy piece about a Prime Minister's wild night out.

The Wonder Spot: Kind of too "New York Hipster" for me, but still a nice read.

Last Request: Great story. Mix of a serious topic with a light point of view.

Peter Shelley: Funny story about a boy losing his virginity. My favorite story in the book.

The Department of Nothing: Not bad, but a bit too sentimental for the tone of the book. This was my least favorite story. I wouldn't say Colin Firth should keep his day job, but hey, his day job is awesome.

I'm the Only One: Very short and a bit unsatisfying story about a kid's getting a visit from a super-tall friend. I still liked it.

NippleJesus: My second favorite story. A blue-collar man (a bodyguard) who admires an artsy-fartsy museum piece. Really funny.

After I was Thrown in The River...: I particularly didn't care much for this dog. My second least favorite.

LuckyBitch and The Slave: Both are about middle aged people. One seen from a woman's point of view and other from a man's. Both are equally a riot.

Catholic Guilt: My third favorite story, and being from Irvine Welsh, is also the edgiest. A homophobic hooligan gets his afterlife punishment. Simply hilarious.

Walking into the Wind: Just when I thought I couldn't laugh any harder comes this story about a mime to finish it off.

20-minute doses.......2004-04-12

With "High Fidelity" and "About a Boy" as two of my favorite books, it was Hornby's name that drew me to this anthology, though the other contributing authors are certainly not unrecognized.

I enjoyed each of this book's twelve stories, but a few in particular stood out. Hornby's "Nipple Jesus" was my favorite. In it, a security guard charged with protecting a controversial work of art - a beautiful depiction of the crucifiction that, upon close inspection, is seen to be composed of a collage of pornographic photos - wrestles with questions of whether or not the piece is really art and whether or not he really wants to guard it. The story forced me to examine similar questions as to what I felt constituted art. I was left thinking that it would have made a great bit of reading for a Philosophy of Art class.

Other memorable stories were "Last Requests" by Giles Smith, in which a prison cook ruminates upon preparing last meals for death row inmates; "The Slave" by Roddy Doyle, in which a man tries to slowly ween himself from paranoia after nearly stepping on the carcass of a giant rat in front of his refrigerator; and "Catholic Guilt" by Irvine Welsh, where a man gets his just deserves for beating a homosexual. Each of these stories went beyond merely providing entertainment, and led me to think as well.

Oddly enough, the least enjoyable stories were the first and the last in the collection - "PMQ" from Robbert Harris and "Walking into the Wind" from John O'Farrell. It's not that these two were poor entries - they were both solidly readable - they just didn't seem to have the zing of the other selections.

But with that small detraction as my biggest complaint, I have no hesitation in recommending "Speaking With the Angel." It's perfect for digesting in 20-minute doses, providing a dozen opportunities to, at least, briefly escape and, at best, to make you think.

Nick Hornby is God.......2003-07-07

This book is full of wonderfull short stories. Many of which are deeply funny. One is from the mind of a dog, another about a Chef that delivers last requests to prisoners about to be executed, and of course Nick Hornbys Nipple Jesus. I am not a huge fan os short stories but i knew this would be good since Nick Hornby was the author and i was not let down. A very good fun read.

Not all best selling authors can write short stories.......2003-01-10

When I saw the line-up of authors on the cover of this book, I was expecting to be blown away. There were a few stories that stood out from the rest, but I felt like the majority of them were stories I would have seen in a fiction class, not a published collection of stories. "NippleJesus", by Nick Hornby, was probably my favorite, along with "PMQ" by Robert Harris. Colin Firth's "The Department of Nothing" struck a sentimental chord, but I'd say the rest were about average, not leaving too much of an impact. As a result, the book took a while to get through. I guess not all best-selling novel authors are meant to cross over into the short story genre - either that or we are seeing their weaker ones in this collection.

Customer Reviews:

Simply Wonderful.......2005-03-30

There are few authors like Michelle West. In one hand she balances the emotions of her characters, ever tilting the gems of her creation to reveal new facets of their being. In her other hand she weaves stories of complex beliefs and ideas, intermixing the sublime and the natural into one breathtaking tapestry. Her short stories are no exception. There is not a single story in this collection that was lacking. Each one brought another note in the symphony of human life to fullness, and this reader personally was humbled by the experience. One of the greatest fantasy writers of our times: Michelle West.

strong fantasy collection.......2003-07-07

This thirteen-story fantasy collection contains entries all written in the past decade or so. Each contribution will interest the reader as various emotions serve as the respective centers of each tale. Fantasy fans should comprehend up front that whether it is Christmas or some other festive occasion, these offerings typically do not end in a happily ever after, but for the most part will leave readers with a lump in their throat. Hell what could one expect with some of the locations. Every story is extremely well written and worth reading and this anthology showcases Michelle West's talent and imagination to play with feelings.This reviewer must specifically mention the final entry, "To Speak with Angels", which with pride will leave nary a dry eye.

Harriet Klausner

Average customer rating:
Speaking with the Angel.
Robert Harris , Melissa Bank , Patrick Marber , Colin Firth , Zadie Smith , and Nick Hornby
Manufacturer: Droemersche Verlagsanstalt Th. Knaur Nachf., GmbH & Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

All German Books | German | Foreign Language Books | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 3426619784

Average customer rating:
Speaking with the Angels

Manufacturer: Penguin Books Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Anthologies | Genre Fiction | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Hornby, Nick | ( H ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0140297790

Average customer rating:
The road to Bethlehem: A Christmas play for 21 boys and 8 girls, with any number of non-speaking townsfolk, shepherds and angels
Marjorie Bates
Manufacturer: Religious Education Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007K60JS

Average customer rating:
Speaking with the Angel
Hornby Nick
Manufacturer: Penguin Books Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJF1BA

Average customer rating:
Speaking with the Angel 10 Copy Counter
Nick Hornby
Manufacturer: Riverhead Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Hornby, Nick | ( H ) | Authors, A-Z | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1573228818

Average customer rating:
Speaking With Your Guardian Angel
Gary Arnold
Manufacturer: Windhorse Corp
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Cassette

General | Religion & Spirituality | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
General | Books on Cassette | Audiobooks | Formats | Books
General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Spiritualism | Occult | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1578673259

Average customer rating:

Easy to follow, all bases covered.

Practical guide

If you're 40 or plus and wondering where your body went...

fit & fabulous after 40

Good value

Fit and Fabulous After 40: A 5-Part Program for Turning Back the Clock
Denise Austin
Manufacturer: Broadway
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Yoga | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Austin, Denise | Authors, A-Z | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
General | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Healthy Living | Personal Health | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
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Shrink Your Female Fat Zones

Fit Not Fat at 40-Plus: The Shape-Up Plan That Balances Your Hormones, Boosts Your Metabolism, and Fights Female Fat in Your Forties-And Beyond

ASIN: 0767904729
Release Date: 2002-05-14

Amazon.com

Fitness celebrity and former gymnast Denise Austin always took care of her body. "In my 20s, however, I was more concerned with looking good in a bikini," she admits. "These days I'm focused on feeling good and staying healthy--and if I can still get away with wearing a bikini, that's a bonus!" Writing at age 43, she reminds us that 40 certainly isn't the end of the road--in fact, we probably have another 40 years or more to look forward to.

In Fit and Fabulous After 40, Austin shows us how to "turn back the clock" with exercise (aerobic, stretching, balance, and strength training), diet, health, beauty, and a positive outlook. She challenges us to set a weekly goal in each area for four weeks and provides sample programs in all areas. Photographs illustrate a good selection of strength-training, yoga, and Pilates-inspired exercises, and she provides a workout log to keep you on track.

Her dietary suggestions emphasize a balance of 50 to 55 percent complex carbohydrates, 20 to 25 percent protein, and 25 percent fat, keeping portions moderate and including lots of fruits and vegetables. She describes 10 "nutritional powerhouses" that have been shown to have anti-aging benefits, such as soy, blueberries, oatmeal, and flaxseed, with tips for including more of these in your diet. She also describes 10 "age accelerators" that you'd be wise to avoid, such as breakfast "desserts," fatty meats, creamy salad dressings, and stick margarine. She includes dozens of helpful (and sometimes entertaining) tips, such as "Don't go [to a fast-food restaurant] when you're hungry--you'll order fries." A meal plan with sample recipes makes her suggestions easy to follow.

Her health tips include 6 "body-sense strategies," 10 "must-have medical tests," breathing exercises, and instructions for how to do Kegels (exercises for the pelvic-floor muscles that help prevent incontinence and improve sexual response). She also offers skin, hair, and nail tips. If you think of Denise Austin as just a perky exercise leader, you'll be thoroughly impressed by the amount of helpful, sensible information in Fit and Fabulous. --Joan Price

Book Description

America’s favorite fitness expert presents a breakthrough program to win the war against aging–a battle she has personally fought and won.

We all know that aging is inevitable–but how gracefully you age is up to you. Scientific research shows that we can turn back the clock through a targeted regimen of age-busting exercise and nutrition. Now, in Fit and Fabulous After 40, award-winning fitness expert Denise Austin presents her own revolutionary, sure-fire plan to help you stay healthy, strong, slim, and fabulous–no matter what your age! By exercising for just thirty minutes a day, using cutting-edge techniques such as yoga and Pilates-based exercises, and eating for maximum health and vitality, you can build strength, shed extra pounds, improve flexibility and balance, and look years younger. Fit and Fabulous After 40 includes:

Easy-to-follow workout plans for every day of the week
Fat-blasting, toning exercises to target specific areas of the body
Weekly nutrient-packed meal plans with delicious slimming recipes
Denise’s personal vitamin and supplement regimen
Invaluable advice on common health concerns for women, such as menopause, breast cancer, and heart disease
Special beauty tips–including anti-wrinkle exercises!

Designed to fit even the most hectic schedules, and easily tailored to individual health concerns, Fit and Fabulous After 40 offers a modern, realistic fountain of youth for every woman.

Customer Reviews:

Easy to follow, all bases covered........2007-09-21

This book is fantastic! The eating program has menus and shopping lists, and the workout portion is easy to follow with step by step photos. My favorite part is it's broken down into babysteps, so you're not overwhelmed. Lots of common sense in this book, and lots of encouragement.

Practical guide.......2007-08-27

For women over 40 this is a good start or a better building block. I started exerciseing with a local gym recently and have refered this book to them for we women over 40. I was not in shape when I started and this was challenging enough to not get discourged. Great job!

If you're 40 or plus and wondering where your body went..........2006-05-20

this book is for you. I will admit, I am not a big fan of Denise Austin in general, but this book has given me comfort in knowing that I'm not screwing up, my body is just changing. And this books is helping me change right along with it, making the adjustments I need to, to be fit and fabulous. Just two years ago people were commenting on my slimness, that was my 40th birthday, now at 42, nothing is where I left it! But I'm confident this book will help me get the pieces back where they belong and that I'm going to feel wonderful again, both emotionally and physically. And she's real, there's no gimmicks just good education about getting older, common sense and things that anyone can do. THANK YOU DENISE!!!

fit & fabulous after 40.......2005-08-31

book is great, lets you know exactly what to do to be in shape 40yrs. plus. You go on longer in better shape

Good value.......2004-03-25

I see now the book's on sale. Lots of ideas and tips in here. Nothing earth shaking, but good ideas on how to implement all the things we know we need to do. I like that it's comprehensive--a little bit about a lot of things--skin care, diet, exercise, emotional tips, health, etc. Ms. Austin is inspirational because she is loaded with "can-do" attitude. So overall, a good value.

Average customer rating:

Love it!

Not for the Buttercream at Heart

The Essential Cake Decorating Guide (Thunder Bay Essential Cookbooks)

Manufacturer: Thunder Bay Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Bargain Books | Stores | Books
Cakes | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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Cakes to Dream On: A Master Class in Decorating

ASIN: 1592230008

Book Description

The Cake Decorating Guide offers hints and notes on unusual ingredients, while step-by-step photographs guide the reader through many tricky techniques. Included is a comprehensive pictorial guide to essential equipment with detailed instructions on the best ways to use and maintain them. Preparation pages with step-by-step photographs and easy-to-follow instructions explain different methods that make this book perfect for bakers of all ages and abilities. Beautifully photographed glossaries show unusual ingredients and food varieties with their common and not-so-common names. Snippets of related history add interest while colorful double-page features provide a wealth of information on buying, storing and preparing some of the more unusual ingredients. Over 500 full-color photographs are featured.

Customer Reviews:

Love it!.......2005-07-23

This book has some of everything in it. If you are interested in exploring methods beyond basic buttercream this is your book! Well written for the average beginner to cake decorating it gives you step by step instructions for so many decorating techniques. A great book for anyone attempting a new technique. You will learn enough to know whether or not you want to persue the technique further.

Debbie

Not for the Buttercream at Heart.......2005-01-26

This would be an essential guide if you work with fondant, mold gumpaste flowers, or model paste figures. There are step-by-step photos about how to make a wide variety of flowers, how to use basic tips for piping, how to model a variety of animals and people, and how to marbelize fondant. There are some gorgeous fondant designs--my favorites are the stacked pastel square packages, a castle, a teddy bear picnic, and a white-on-white Christmas cake. There are also some wedding cake designs that are quite different from anything you'd find in a Wilton yearbook.

This guide also offers a great section on elegant gateaux, from custard meringue to tiramisu, cappuccino truffle, and pears with a spun toffee halo, all with beautiful pictures. It also includes basic cake recipes, as well as decorating tips with pastillage, run-outs or colorflow, and a variety of other techniques.

There are a number of recipes and designs to inspire a baker or any decorator with a flair for fondant. If you'd rather pipe your icing and use molded chocolate accents, it's not an essential guide to cake decorating for you . . . just nice to look through the pictures.

The Essential Guide to Cake Decorating (Essential Cookbook)

Average customer rating:

This is by far the best book I have in my collection!
A MUST!!
Exquisite and brimming with originality!

The Essential Guide to Cake Decorating (Essential Cookbook)

Manufacturer: Whitecap Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Cakes | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

Desserts | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 1552852369

Book Description

This is the ultimate guide to cake decorating, with over 200 recipes and variations. Perfect for the beginner or advanced baker, the step-by-step photographs and easy instructions walk you through the techniques involved in making beautifully decorated cakes. All aspects of cake decorating are covered: cake basics, working with sugarpaste, sugar flowers, modelling, children's cakes, Christmas cakes, and wedding cakes. The book also includes a comprehensive guide to equipment, from selection to use and maintenance.

Customer Reviews:

This is by far the best book I have in my collection!.......2003-07-29

It is full of all the information needed to be a top-notch bakery chef. The techniques given in this book have proven to be very key. In addition, there are excellent recipes provided. I highly recommend this book!

A MUST!!.......2002-08-21

This is a must for anyone that is starting out in cake decorating and needs any inspiration or ideas. Once someone has the basic knowledge of decorating, anything in the book can be accomplished or adapted to something applicable. The full color photos and explanations are great, although it takes a bit of getting use to in the English/British "vernaculur" that it is written. It once again proves that the English have taken cake decorating to an art form and us Yanks really need to step up to the plate.

Exquisite and brimming with originality!.......2002-04-23

I got this book today on a whim, and flipping through it made me want to run out and whip up a cake just to see if I could create a fraction of the magic these cakes possess. I loved going through the vibrant color photographs and admiring the interesting designs (although I have to admit some of these seem much too complicated to be attempted by someone who isn't a professional pastry chef). However, that doesn't detract from the fact that the book is beautiful and informative, and even if I never get one cake to look the same as it does in the book, I won't regret a thing. This guide is a feast for the eyes as well as the imagination! (The sugar flowers alone took my breath away!)

The Essential Guide to Cake Decorating (Cookery)

Average customer rating:

Great Book
A basic book
great overall explanation of the subject!
basic & great

The Essential Guide to Cake Decorating (Cookery)

Manufacturer: Merehurst
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Cakes | Baking | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books

General | Cooking, Food & Wine | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1853919543

Customer Reviews:

Great Book.......2005-05-05

This book has a glossary of cake decorating terms. It has pictures of a variety of tools used in cake decorating. There are recipes for not only basic cakes, but all types of icing used in cake decorating. The cake recipes are in chart form so you can make anywhere from a 6 inch cake on up to larger cakes. This book also has instructions on preparing cake boards and cake assembly. It's a great book to have as a resource. There are also lots of nice pictures.

A basic book.......2005-02-14

The Essential Guide to Cake Decorating provides beautiful colour illustrated pictures on common sugarcraft flowers and cakes.It also provides the basic requirements for cake decoration e.g. types of equipments used, covering cake using marzipan, royal icing, sugarpaste etc. The book is so well design and has useful step by step instructions to cake deco.Plus the cake pictures makes me keep looking at the book over and over again!

great overall explanation of the subject!.......2004-08-16

I am just entering the world of cake decorating and this happened to be the 1st book I skimmed/read! It is wonderful. I was looking for details and that is what I got! Merehurst Ltd even gives a brief history on the subject- which was very interesting! There are lots of different cakes you can make yourself and also detailed pictures and explanations! I just borrowed this book from the library, so I have to return it...but I'll definately be buying it. I think it's a must-have for cake decorators everywhere!

basic & great.......2004-01-31

the cake recipes are easy, and very good!

Average customer rating:

Beautiful book with so many unique ideas

Essential Guide to Cake Decorating

Manufacturer: Parragon Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1405450169

Product Description

This book explains and illustrates the equipment and methods required for making and decorating a variety of beautiful cakes. Enjoy creating a stunning decorated cake every time -- from children's favorites to weekend treats, or even wedding centerpieces. The book is packed with creative designs and practical advice. Superb color photographs throughout.

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful book with so many unique ideas.......2005-12-22

I adore this book! Finally, some unique cake decorating ideas -- not just the same old look and style. This user-friendly book takes you from the very beginning, starting with all the equipment needed to decorate a beautiful cake. It includes wonderful recipes and detailed instructions on how to bake different kinds of cakes. And then, of course, shows all the decorating techniques needed to decorate a wide variety of cakes. I'm excited about trying out some new ideas!

The Essential Guide to Cake Decorating (Borders Exclusive)

Average customer rating:

The Essential Guide to Cake Decorating (Borders Exclusive)
Murdoch Books
Manufacturer: Borders Goup, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 1740457722

Average customer rating:

Essential Guide to Cake Decorating
Alex Barker
Manufacturer: Parragon Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000TOYGKM

Average customer rating:

Essential Guide to Cake Decorating
*
Manufacturer: MURDOCH BOOKS (MDS)
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K7E4AU

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